When new B.C. Liberal leader Kevin Falcon announced his new-look caucus Feb. 7, there was a notable lack of women.

Of the 27 roles, most of them critics, only seven are females.

B次元官网网址淲e only have seven females,B次元官网网址� Tegart said with a laugh, when asked about the disparity. B次元官网网址淭he thing is a good leader will go out and recruit really good candidates, and Kevin is very aware of what a good team looks like.

B次元官网网址淩enee Merrifield has a very significant role (Critic for Environment & Climate Change) and Karin Kirkpatrick has a very significant role (Critic for Education, Children, Family Development, & Childcare). And Shirley Bond is staying on as Opposition Leader until such time as Kevin wins a seat.

B次元官网网址淲e do have a limited number of women in our caucus, but they all have a role that I think theyB次元官网网址檙e quite pleased with, and some are pretty high profile.B次元官网网址�

Tegart is in her third term as MLA for Fraser-Nicola, and she admitted itB次元官网网址檚 still a tough world for a female politician.

B次元官网网址淧olitics is a tough role to be in as a woman, particularly at a provincial and federal level,B次元官网网址� she said.

Tegart said itB次元官网网址檚 difficult for women to fundraise and difficult to put together a team.

B次元官网网址淣ominations are incredibly difficult for women, and we tend not to nurture women for leadership roles at the provincial and federal levels,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f you look at school boards, you see quite a number of women because education is something that is near and dear to the heart of moms and females, and that seems to be a natural place for people to get their feet wet in politics.B次元官网网址�

ThatB次元官网网址檚 where Tegart got her political start, and she said the scariest thing is to put your name on a ballot and have strangers vote for you.

Or not.

B次元官网网址淚n order to win, we have to go out and ask for your vote, and ask for your money to support the campaign,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e have to work really, really hard. Sometimes twice as hard as men. IB次元官网网址檝e been so impressed with so many women in my life whoB次元官网网址檝e been very successful politically, but I donB次元官网网址檛 know one who would tell you it was easy.B次元官网网址�

The first time Tegart ran for school board, her mom gave her $200 and that was the full campaign budget.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my understanding that from a male perspective, thereB次元官网网址檚 often a team around them and they often have a B次元官网网址榖agman,B次元官网网址� someone who says B次元官网网址業 will collect the money,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Tegart said. B次元官网网址淭hat just wasnB次元官网网址檛 my experience. I was always amazed when people came up to me and said, B次元官网网址楬ow do I donate?B次元官网网址� And I thought, B次元官网网址榊ou want to donate? How exciting!B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Tegart drew inspiration from good friend Carol James, former leader of the B.C. NDP who served as Finance Minister under current Premier John Horgan. She watched James rise in the party, and under her leadership the NDP captured 41.52 per cent of the popular vote and 33 out of 79 seats in 2005 election. But she was forced out of the leadership position in 2010, with 13 caucus members urging her to resign.

B次元官网网址淭o watch what happened to Carol makes you really cautious because how many women have actually been able to stay in leadership jobs?B次元官网网址� Tegart asked.

In the most recent provincial election, Chilliwack Liberal candidate Kelly Velonis lamented the low level of discourse on social media, and said some people spent more time talking about her appearance than her partyB次元官网网址檚 policies.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 one of the many reasons Tegart said sheB次元官网网址檚 avoided social media.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 even look at it,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭here is nothing that is off base and youB次元官网网址檝e got to get a thick skin. The way I deal with it is I know what my goal is and IB次元官网网址檓 here to do the work. I donB次元官网网址檛 have time for Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and whatever else. I get up every morning with a list of things to do, and at the end of the day most of them are checked off.

B次元官网网址淏ut social media has definitely changed everything, and made it tougher.B次元官网网址�

So is there hope? Is there anything to suggest that when Tegart talks about these same things in a decade, things will have changed?

She believes the answer is yes.

B次元官网网址淎bsolutely,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e need young people. We need ethnic groups. We need a welcoming process to come into politics, be part of a team, be part of an election and have fun doing it. We need to see more of that and less of social media and sniping at each other. This is probably the most satisfying job IB次元官网网址檝e ever had because of the people, and the things you can accomplish to make their lives better.

B次元官网网址淏ut in 10 years? WeB次元官网网址檝e got a lot of dynamic young women who right now are pretty busy with families. But as kids grow and you get more time to contribute to your community and maybe the province, hopefully they think this is an honourable job to do.B次元官网网址�

eric.welsh@hopestandard.com
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